(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valveless, continuously vented vessel for containing liquids which is rotatable 360 degrees between -180 and +180 degrees from a 0 degree top position without spilling the liquid from the vessel. The vessel is particularly adapted for containing a cryogenic liquid around superconducting coils in a rotatable cyclotron while continuously venting gases from the liquid during rotation.
(2) Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,646 issued to Blosser et al describes a rotatable cyclotron wherein the superconducting coils are partially immersed in a cryogenic liquid in a continuously vented vessel. The vessel is surrounded by a vacuum in order to minimize heat loss. The cyclotron can be rotated 180.degree. between +90.degree. and -90.degree. from a top position with the vessel half filled with the cryogenic liquid and still be vented so that gas from the cryogenic liquid can be removed from the coils. A problem with this design is that it allows only 180 degrees of cyclotron movement. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 604,089 describes another cooling system for a rotatable cyclotron in which the liquid is always subcooled by an internal lower pressure two phase cooling coil and is therefore able to rotate through 360.degree. without the formation of bubbles. This system requires that a source of pressurized liquid helium be continuously connected which in turn requires a long, spiral cryogenic line as also described in the patent application. The disadvantage of this system is that the cryogenic line is expensive and requires a large amount of space.
There are other instances where a rotatable, vented, non-spilling vessel is useful. A rotatable vessel for containing cryogenic liquids with a vacuum container around the vessel to minimize heat losses from the liquid is particularly useful. Specific examples where such a vessel can be used are mixing of corrosive liquids where valving is difficult.